"Yoon's Life Sentence Is Only Right"...Chilly Public Mood at Seomun Market, the 'Heart of Conservatism' [Report]

Seomun Market on February 20, the day after Yoon's sentencing
Merchants suffering from "political trauma"
"Politicians visiting the market just annoy us"
Even traditional conservative voters in their 50s and older show signs of fracture
Linger

"Didn't we vote for him thinking he'd govern firmly and do well? His term didn't even have that much time left. If he had just held out a little longer, he wouldn't have lost the goodwill of conservative voters like this."

On the 20th, the day after former President Yoon Sukyeol's first-trial sentence, 78-year-old Yeo Jeongdong, who runs an individual taxi business in Daegu, said this while driving toward Seomun Market in Jung District, Daegu. In his voice was a sense of emptiness over the collapse of the conservative image he had expected.

Seomun Market was crowded with people on Friday afternoon. As the largest traditional market in the Yeongnam region, it has long been known as something like the "heart of conservatism," a place where conservative politicians, including former Presidents Park Geunhye and Yoon, would visit ahead of elections. But on this day, it was hard to find any visible trace of politics inside the market.

After conservatives went through two impeachment cases, Seomun Market seemed to be suffering a kind of political trauma. At the Kalguksu restaurant that former President Yoon had visited in the past, only the autograph of a trot singer remained on the wall where his photo had once hung. The owner of the snack bar visited by First Lady Kim Keonhee stiffened at the word "reporter" and waved her hands in refusal.

Seomun Market in Daegu was bustling with people as usual on the afternoon of the 20th. Reporter Woo Suyeon

Lee (55), who runs the snack bar, said, "Politicians say they come to Seomun Market to get some energy, right? In fact, merchants don't like them coming. We're busy just trying to make a living, but then the police stand around all day, communications get restricted for security, and it's just annoying."

Introducing himself as a full member of the People Power Party, he continued, "I'm deeply disappointed in them. When people say Daegu is 'unconditionally conservative,' isn't that now just something people in their seventies and eighties say? The People Power Party is busy shooting at each other inside, and there doesn't even seem to be a next-generation figure. A lot of people around me have turned away. The Daegu mayoral race? I'm going to vote for Kim Boo-kyum."

Lee Cheongi (78), who runs a clothing shop, likewise said of former President Yoon's life sentence, "It's only right. If he did wrong, he should be punished," and cut the conversation short about the election by saying, "I don't know. Politics is done so poorly that I have no interest."

On the 20th, at a Kalguksu shop in Daegu Seomun Market, a wall that had displayed a photo of former President Yoon Sukyeol, who used to visit the shop, is now empty. By Woo Suyeon

The scene then shifted to Chilseong Market, which has many regulars from the local neighborhood. In the quiet alleys, merchants' sighs were heard before customers' voices. The merchants lamented the frozen Daegu economy and unleashed sharp criticism toward the political world. While they generally accepted the life sentence for former President Yoon, their words were steeped in cynicism about politics itself.

Kim (71), who has run a salt stall for more than 40 years, said, "Yoon Sukyeol was wrong about that (martial law). Why did he do it that way? That's what happens when someone who has never done politics tries to do politics." He added, "I don't like either the Democratic Party or the People Power Party at all. I have not the slightest desire to vote."

He went on, "Members of the National Assembly have plenty of money, yet they make such a fuss about housing prices going up. Whether they have six houses or eight... all the people with money are in the National Assembly. They live eating 70,000-won meals, but here there are people everywhere who say even a 6,000-won meal is delicious. What kind of world are they living in? They really have no idea what ordinary people go through."

Kim (74), who runs a seafood stall, reacted even more angrily. "Wouldn't the death penalty be more appropriate? A prosecutor who used to crack down hard on people went straight to being president.... He staged an insurrection, and the People Power Party hasn't even apologized; they're still acting high and mighty," he said. Yet he also added with self-mockery, "Still, when the election comes and they say, 'If you don't vote for us, you'll be worse off than Jeolla Province,' then everyone will vote for the People Power Party again. People in Daegu will fall for it again."

Daegu citizen Lee Hyunjin (55), whom we met at the market, said, "I don't like Lee Jaemyung either, but 'Yoon Again' is even more out of the question," and asked, "We elected him to protect conservatism, but didn't he hand over power in a single day through martial law?" He added, "I have no idea why talk of 'Yoon Again' keeps coming up when he has even left the party."

Chilseong Market, a popular spot for residents of Daegu. Merchants said customer numbers have fallen sharply as the local economy froze. Reporter Woo Suyeon

Of course, there were also quite a few conservative views that drew a line at calling it insurrection, or argued that the broader context of martial law should be considered. Sim Gangho (60), who runs a salted seafood stall here, said, "I don't think it was insurrection. I'm disappointed in the court as well," and added, "The People Power Party is neither united nor cohesive; they're just shooting at each other internally. How can that work? Now we need someone new, not the same old figures."

Taxi driver Ki Younghwan (64) also said, "(The sentence) came out just as I expected," but added, "Why don't they overturn what the Democratic Party did, impeaching everyone, cutting the budget at every turn, and all that? If Lee Jaemyung comes on TV, I don't even watch. There are a lot of people like that in Daegu." He went on, "A majority of Daegu citizens have no interest in politics. Here, once you get the party nomination, even a wooden stake could win. So people just vote for the party, and no one cares about vetting the candidate."

Kim, in his eighties, whom we met at Dongdaegu Station, also accepted the sentence, saying, "If (former President Yoon) committed a crime, he has to be punished. If he did something he couldn't even handle properly, he has to take responsibility." He then expressed concern, saying, "If the People Power Party keeps going like this in Daegu, it'll be pointless for them in the election. They never come to their senses and are always fighting among themselves. A lot of people in Daegu have already turned away. If even older people think this way, younger people will feel it even more strongly..."

Kim Mo (71), who has run a salt stall at Chilseong Market for over 40 years, made cynical remarks about the political world, saying, "There is no member of the National Assembly for the common people." Reporter Woo Suyeon